Parents Television Council Reviews

PTC reviews aim to provide you with advance information about an entertainment offering so that you can be the final arbiter of what you and your family see.

High School Musical 2

by Tim Winter 

Premiere Date: 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, August 17, 2007

For more show times visit www.DisneyChannel.com

TV Rating: TV-G

Starring: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman

Recommended age: 8+

Overall PTC Traffic Light Rating: Green

High School Musical 2 may be the single-most anticipated television program of 2007. Following on the heels of their meteoric hit High School Musical, this Disney Channel Original Movie is a solid sequel with as equally-inspired music and dance choreography as the first film. While HSM-2 clearly skews older in age than HSM did, the underlying elements are similar: The virtues of honesty, trust, integrity and teamwork ultimately prevail over ego and self; and those virtues are brilliantly communicated in song and dance. “Tween” girls across the country undoubtedly will be singing, dancing and celebrating this movie at HSM-2 premiere parties across the U.S.

One of the most frequently asked questions by PTC members this summer has been whether this long-awaited sequel is appropriate for their children to watch. Our friends at the Disney Channel were kind enough to forward me a “Screener” copy in order to provide this review.

According to Disney’s official PR material: “In this contemporary musical sequel, the Wildcats are back, and this time, school’s out and East High School hoops star Troy Bolton, A-student Gabriella Montez and the rest of the Wildcats are getting ready for a fun summer vacation. But that all changes when scheming drama queen Sharpay Evans uses her dad’s connections to get Troy a job at their ritzy country club – and a chance at a college basketball scholarship. The catch? He’ll have to turn his back on his friends and pair up with Sharpay in a musical extravaganza for the club’s annual talent show. But when Gabriella and the Wildcats start making plans without Troy, he must decide where his loyalties truly lie.”

Parents should expect to see slightly more mature themes in HSM-2 than in the original HSM. The two main characters, Troy and Gabriella, have advanced to a serious high school-aged relationship; and there is a much stronger romantic theme between them. In fact there is a clear romantic physical tension between the two throughout the movie with the anticipation of a romantic kiss between them. Some of the boys are seen and heard “checking out” the girls. The Sharpay character is portrayed in an even more self-centered, materialistic, self-absorbed and conniving manner than she was in the original. While good ultimately prevails, many parents may be concerned with the open hostility displayed by Sharpay and the resulting conflict and hostility among and between other characters.

All-in-all, the PTC believes this film is appropriate for most children aged 8 and older, and we proudly award the Disney Channel with the PTC’s Seal of Approval for High School Musical 2. (Some parents – especially those who may be sensitive to high school-aged romantic behavior – may decide that a slightly older age is more appropriate for their children.)

Note: The musical soundtrack of the movie was released in record stores on Tuesday, August 14^th.

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